In 2008, the ville neuve ("New Town") was listed as a UNESCOWorld Heritage Site, as part of the "Fortifications of Vauban" group for its contributions to the development of military architecture and engineering.[3]
Economy
Longwy has historically been an industrial center of the Lorraineiron mining district. Factories lined the river in historic postcards.
The town is also known for its artistic faience, produced there since 1798. It is produced today by the Société des faïenceries de Longwy et Senelle, often in cooperation with artists and ceramists. Overglaze enamel decoration, known as émaux and often in a manner similar to cloisonné, has been produced in Longwy ceramics since 1872.[4] Initially produced under the direction of Amadeo de Carenza, this style reached a peak in the Art Deco style, retailed by the Parisian department store Printemps.[5]
From 1648 to 1660 Longwy was part of the Kingdom of France, returning to the Duchy of Lorraine afterwards. It was made part of France again in 1670, a situation which was finalized in the Treaties of Nijmegen in 1678. Vauban fortified the town during the reign of Louis XIV, having demolished the medieval Château de Longwy, of which one tower remains.
After the French defeat in the Franco-Prussian War of 1870–71, almost all of the Moselle department, along with Alsace and portions of the Meurthe and Vosges departments, was ceded to the German Empire by the Treaty of Frankfurt on the ground that the population in those areas spoke German dialects. Only one fifth of Moselle, including Longwy, was spared annexation. Otto von Bismarck later bitterly regretted his decision when it was discovered that the region of Briey and Longwy was rich with iron ore, exploited by the Aciéries de Longwy among other members of the cartel Comptoir Métallurgique de Longwy.
^"Fortifications of Vauban". UNESCO World Heritage Centre. United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization. Retrieved 14 November 2021.
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